1. Field
This disclosure relates to a positive active material for a rechargeable lithium battery, a method of preparing the same, and a rechargeable lithium battery including the same.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Recently, due to reductions in size and weight of a portable electronic equipment, there has been a need to develop rechargeable lithium batteries for the portable electronic equipment having both high performance and large capacity.
The rechargeable lithium battery may be manufactured by injecting an electrolyte into a battery cell, which includes a positive electrode including a positive active material capable of intercalating/deintercalating lithium ions and a negative electrode including a negative active material capable of intercalating/deintercalating lithium ions.
As for the positive active material, LiCoO2 has been widely used but has a problem of a high manufacturing cost and an unstable supply due to scarcity of cobalt (Co), toxicity to a human body, and an environmental contamination.
Accordingly, in order to develop an economic and stable positive active material having high-capacity, a lithium iron phosphate compound having an olivine structure has been investigated.
However, the lithium iron phosphate having an olivine structure has low conductivity and a slow diffusion rate of lithium ions and deteriorated capacity at a high charge and discharge rate and thus, is limitedly used in a field requiring high current density.